In a very succinct article in the National Review Online (http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/272787/norway-and-gun-control-charlie-cooke) the author quoted a statement made by Cesare Baccaria in a book he wrote back in 1764. I had never read this statement, and found it dead on, almost perfectly stated. Although, the formal speaking and writing style of that time might be too complex for many of our publicly-educated younger folks to follow, it should be paraphrased and be required reading in all civics/government classes.
"The laws of this nature are those which forbid to wear arms, disarming those only who are not disposed to commit the crime which the laws mean to prevent. Can it be supposed, that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, and the most important of the code, will respect the less considerable and arbitrary injunctions, the violation of which is so easy, and of so little comparative importance? Does not the execution of this law deprive the subject of that personal liberty, so dear to mankind and to the wise legislator? And does it not subject the innocent to all the disagreeable circumstances that should only fall on the guilty? It certainly makes the situation of the assaulted worse and of the assailants better, and rather encourages than prevents murder, as it requires less courage to attack unarmed than armed persons."
Brilliant...
edit: I forgot to add, this article was about the knee-jerk gun control reaction to tragedies like the Norway massacre.
"The laws of this nature are those which forbid to wear arms, disarming those only who are not disposed to commit the crime which the laws mean to prevent. Can it be supposed, that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, and the most important of the code, will respect the less considerable and arbitrary injunctions, the violation of which is so easy, and of so little comparative importance? Does not the execution of this law deprive the subject of that personal liberty, so dear to mankind and to the wise legislator? And does it not subject the innocent to all the disagreeable circumstances that should only fall on the guilty? It certainly makes the situation of the assaulted worse and of the assailants better, and rather encourages than prevents murder, as it requires less courage to attack unarmed than armed persons."
Brilliant...
edit: I forgot to add, this article was about the knee-jerk gun control reaction to tragedies like the Norway massacre.